Surfer fights off shark, escapes with bitten leg

(10-19) 15:17 PDT BODEGA BAY -- A 20-year-old woman surfing near Bodega Bay fought off an attacking shark this morning and was hospitalized with wounds to her right leg, authorities said.

Megan Halavais of Santa Rosa was surfing at Salmon Creek Beach just north of Bodega Bay when the attack happened at 10:30 a.m.

Brit Horn, a lifeguard at Sonoma Coast State Beach, which includes Salmon Creek, witnessed the attack while he was off duty and surfing with six or seven others people in an area known as the Boardwalk near the south end of the beach.

"I heard her scream, looked over and saw a very large fin, and saw her go under water," Horn said. "Then the fin disappeared and she popped up along with her board."

Halavais told authorities that she had been lying on her surfboard when what she believed to be a 14-foot-long, great white shark hit her from behind. The shark grabbed her by the right leg, pulled her under water and shook her, Sonoma County sheriff's deputies said.

She fought back and grabbed the shark by what she believes was its tail, and the shark let go, deputies said.

Horn and three other surfers rushed to help Halavais. She was screaming, he said, and there was a small amount of blood in the water from wounds to her right leg. She did not appear to have any life-threatening wounds, he said.

Halavais paddled back to shore, accompanied by the other surfers, who helped her to the beach and applied towels to dress the wounds.

Another surfer ran a half mile to the nearest road and drove to a phone to call 911. Bodega Bay paramedics arrived soon after, followed closely by the Sheriff's Department helicopter. Horn said Halavais never lost consciousness.

"She did very, very well at keeping her cool," Horn said.

He said Halavais has surfed at Salmon Creek "for a couple of years at least. I've seen her here surfing in the past, and expect to see her here in the future."

The Sheriff's Department described the main bite wound as 18 inches long, running from Halavais' thigh to her calf. Park rangers recovered her surfboard, which had bite marks.

The incident took place in an area where previous shark attacks have occurred, Rude said. A shark attacked a Santa Rosa man in the same area about three years ago, Horn said. He said great white sharks are suspected in all the attacks.

"It's unusual, but not unexpected," Rude said of today's attack.

As a precaution, rangers, lifeguards and sheriff's deputies advised people to leave the beaches between Jenner and Bodega Bay, Rude said. State parks are closing coastline waters for six miles, from Mussel Point at Bodega Head to Coleman Beach. Beaches will be open but the waters closed for five days.